Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Yu Jinghe, from Longjiang County, Heilongjiang Province, was arrested on May 8th, 2008 by police from Longjiang County. On June 11th, 2009 he was sentenced to three years in prison. The judge at the Longjiang County Court threatened him, "Don't appeal your case. If you do, your case will be handed back for re-trial and you will receive an extension to your prison term." Nonetheless, seeking justice, Mr. Yu's younger brother filed an appeal with the Intermediate Court of Qiqihar City on August 4th, 2008. Due to unclear facts and inadequate evidence in Mr. Yu's case, the court called off the original judgement and ordered a re-trial at the court where Mr. Yu was originally convicted.

Mr. Yu Jinghe, born on April 23rd, 1965, was a clerk at the Agricultural Bank of Longjiang County. After he started practising Falun Gong, he became healthier physically and mentally, and his morality ascended to a higher level. At his workplace, Mr. Yu was in charge of financial credit, and there were many opportunities for him to be bribed by his clients. However, he always refused such things and worked hard and honestly. His good personality was recognised by his administrators and his clients, and they commented that Mr. Yu was a very respectable employee because he practised Falun Gong. However, due to his belief in Falun Gong, Mr. Yu was arrested ten times and sentenced to forced labour twice. He was recently forced into homelessness and is leading a hard life in Harbin City doing part-time jobs.

On May 8th, 2008, while Mr. Yu was on his way to visit friends Mr. Zuo Gang and Ms. Song Yanjin in Harbin City, he was arrested by officials from the Longjiang County 610 Office1 and Dong Zhiyong, deputy chief of the Xuefu Police Station of Longjiang County. On the morning of May 9th, Mr. Yu was detained in the Longjiang County Detention Centre. Mr. Zuo Gang and Ms. Song Yanjin were sentenced to three years in prison and are now being held in the Daqing Prison and the Women's Prison of Daqing City, respectively.

On March 11th, 2009 the Longjiang County Court brought Mr. Yu to a public trial. However, only Mr. Yu and three of his close relatives were allowed to attend the trial. Mr. Yu's daughter entrusted lawyer Ms. Song Jingchao from the Xudong Law Office of Heilongjiang Province to defend her father. Before the trial, Ms. Song was threatened by officers involved in persecuting Mr. Yu. They included Judge Qiu Li, assistants to the judge Yang Chunmeia and Wang Yuejun, court recorder Li Yong, and Liu Yunfeng, deputy prosecutor from the Procuratorate of Longjiang County. They told Ms. Song, "Yu is certain to be found guilty, and your defence will not help. According to orders from higher authorities, lawyers are not allowed to provide any totally non-guilty defence arguments in Falun Gong cases. Otherwise, you will not be allowed to provide any defence." Under pressure from the CCP officials, the lawyer provided a defence for Mr. Yu that he was not guilty only due to lack of evidence.